State raids Put-in-Bay mayor, law director, Jet Express owner properties

Update 7:30 p.m. ThursdayPUT-IN-BAY — A team of state and federal authorities swarmed Put-in-Bay Thursday to raid properties owned by Put-in-Bay's mayor, legal counsel, and the Jet Express' founder.The probes appear to be connected to a state investigation of alleged crimes committed by Mayor Bernard "Mac" McCann and other village officials.Island resident Keith Blumensaadt in January alleged officials engaged in theft, conflicts of interest, illegal contract awards and possible mishandling of public finances.Keith Blumensaadt was later arrested following a police standoff on June 27, one day before a meeting with investigators about his allegations, he claimed.The Register reported in June that Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine's office and the Ohio Ethics Commission launched a probe into the alleged criminal activity.Three months later, the investigation triggered raids on seven properties spread across Put-in-Bay and Port Clinton owned by McCann, village legal counsel George Wilber and Jet Express owner Todd Blumensaadt, Keith Blumensaadt's brother.More than 30 agents with Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the auditor of state's office, the FBI and IRS descended on South Bass Island Thursday in unmarked cars and other crime scene vehicles presumably needed to transport evidence."In general with search warrants we believe we have obtained evidence of probable cause that the locations might have evidence related to the investigation," Ohio attorney general spokesman Dan Tierney told the Register.Ottawa County Sheriff's deputies were also on scene to assist investigators and to keep the peace.Access was restricted to Village Hall and the other properties during the entire day while agents gathered evidence.Meanwhile, McCann used his Segway — his main transportation after a judge convicted him of driving without a valid license — to do laps around Village Hall and his private office several blocks away, which was also being raided. He was seen exchanging words with investigators on several separate occasions.McCann has for months shown a general distaste for anything to do with the investigation."I don't know anything about it," McCann told the Register in June in reference to the probe. "It's not my concern. If that's what they're going to do, that's what they'll do."Tierney said investigators were set to finish collecting evidence Thursday night."We will continue this investigation and thoroughly vet anything that was acquired (as evidence)," Tierney said. "We will do a thorough vetting of the information that sparked this investigation."**Update 3:42 p.m. todayIt's expected investigators will spend the remainder of the day in Put-in-Bay. Access to the village hall was restricted today while state and federal investigators were inside. Update, 12:15 p.m. todayThe private law office of Put-in-Bay law director George Wilber is one of seven locations state BCI agents and sheriff's deputies raided earlier today in an ongoing investigation of alleged contract fraud involving village officials.At least five of the other properties are either owned or associated with Jet Express owner Todd Blumensaadt and/or Put-in-Bay Bernard "Mac" McCann. Todd Blumensaddt and the McCann family both have ownership interests in the Jet Express boat line. Both the Port Clinton and the Put-in-Bay Jet Express docks were subject to search warrants this morning. Wilber also serves as law director in Port Clinton. His office at 211 E. 2nd St. was raided shortly before 9 a.m. and state agents were still inside as of 12:15 p.m.Meanwhile, Mayor McCann just took another swing on his Segway around village hall at about 12:15. It was his second visit this morning since the agents began searching the offices for records. The agents remained inside village hall nearly four hours after the search began. Check back here for update*Update, 11:40 a.m. todayState BCI agents and sheriff's deputies are still inside Put-in-Bay Village Hall, nearly three hours after they went in to execute a search warrant. The Ohio Attorney General's office issued a news release stating that seven properties in all were subjected to search warrants this morning. The Register has confirmed — using the county auditor's website — that five of the seven properties are owned by Todd Blumensaadt, owner of the Jet Express, and/or Put-in-Bay Mayor Bernard "Mac" McCann. The Jet Express dock on the island and in Port Clinton both were raided by agents. A property on the island formerly owned by McCann also was raided. McCann, utilizing a Segway, stopped by shortly after 9 a.m. and chatted briefly with deputies outside village hall as deputies and state agents were inside conducting the search. An investigation by the Attorney General and the Ohio Ethics Commission was launched in early June after Todd Blumensaadt's brother, Keith Blumensaadt, claimed village officials engaged in theft, conflicts of interest, illegal contract awards and the possible mishandling of village finances.Keith Blumensaadt was subsequently arrested June 27 after a disturbance at his home on the island. Check back here for updates*Update, 11:10 p.m. todayPut-in-Bay mayor, owner of Jet Express appear targets of search warrantsPut-in-Bay Mayor Bernard "Mac" McCann and Todd Blumensaadt, owner of the Jet Express on the island, appear to be the targets of at least five of seven search warrants state BCI agents and sheriff's deputies executed this morning. Village Hall and two properties in Port Clinton also were subjected to searches. Seven properties, in all, were subject to search warrants. The Jet Express Dock on the island and in Port Clinton were both subjected to search warrants. Put-in-Bay Mayor Bernard "Mack" McCann uses a Segway to travel in the village. He was using the Segway this morning, Thursday Sept. 7, 2017, when he stopped and chatted briefly with deputies executing a search warrant at village hall. Two properties — at 784 and 804 Cooper Drive on Put-in-Bay — are owned by Todd A. A Alexa L Blumensaadt, according to the Ottawa County auditor's website. Check back here for updates. *Update, 10:45 a.m. todayPolice raid Jet Express office, other locations on Put-in-BayThe Jet Express on Put-in-Bay is one of seven locations where state BCI agents, sheriff's deputies and local police executed search warrants this morning as part of an ongoing investigation of alleged contract fraud by village officials and other allegations of wrongdoing. A property at 234 Delaware, formerly owned by Put-in-Bay Mayor Bernard "Mac" McCann, which he sold to Delaware Loraine Peperties LLC for $0 in 2012, also was raided by agents and deputies. An investigation of McCann and other village officials was started after island resident Keith Blumensaadt alleged the mayor had entered into fraudulent contracts on behalf of the village earlier this summer. Blumensaadt's brother, Todd Blumensaadt, is the operator of the Jet Express. Keith Blumensaadt was subsequently arrested after causing a disturbance on the island. Check back here for updates. *Update, 10:10 a.m. ThursdayPolice raid five locations on Put-in-Bay, two in Port ClintonState agents, Ottawa County sheriff's deputies and local police executed seven search warrants this morning, according to the Ohio Attorney General's office. The warrants are "part of an ongoing joint investigation into the Village of Put-in-Bay which is being conducted by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and the Ohio Ethics Commission," a news release states. Five of the locations are on Put-in Bay and two are in Port Clinton. The address where the search warrants were executed are:• 431 Catawba Avenue, Put-in-Bay• 435 Catawba Avenue, Put-in-Bay• 784 Cooper Drive, Put-in-Bay• 804 Cooper Drive, Put-in-Bay• 234 Delaware Avenue, Put-in-Bay• 211 East 2nd Street, Port Clinton• 3 North Monroe Street, Port ClintonThe Ohio Auditor of State's Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) also assisted with the execution of the search warrants.The search warrants were filed under seal. The joint investigation remains ongoing.*9:50 a.m. ThursdayPut-in-Bay offices raidedDozens of law enforcement officers respond at village town hall to execute search warrantA state crime lab truck parked outside Put-in-Bay village hall this morning, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017. A team of sheriff's deputies, BCI agents and police officers swarmed Put-in-Bay Village Hall this morning, executing a search warrant. It's not known what investigators are looking for, or whether the action is related to the state's investigation of alleged financial improprieties with local government contracts. Mayor Bernard "Mac" McCann, operating a Segeway, rolled up and spoke briefly to a deputy while other deputies and officers were inside village hall. *Check back here for updates. Put-in-Bay village hall was raided today, Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017, by deputies, state BCI agents and other law enforcement personnel, who executed a total of seven search warrants this morning related to an ongoing investigation of alleged contracting fraud and other wrongdoing. A BCI agent walks around the Port Clinton Jet Express location on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017.A BCI vehicle sits in front of the Wilber & Wilber law office in Port Clinton on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017.The law office of law director George Wilber in Port Clinton was one of seven locations state BCI agents and sheriffÕs deputies investigated Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017.The Jet Express location in Port Clinton was one of the seven locations state BCI agents and sheriffÕs deputies investigated on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017.Ottawa County Steve Levorchick talks to Put-in-Bay resident Keith Blumensaadt as police surround his house after Blumensaadt failed to stop during a traffic stop on Tuesday, June 27, 2017. Jet Express III sets aground at their dock in Port Clinton on Thursday due to strong south winds.Put-in-Bay law director George Wilber